|
Date |
Ship
Cruise Line |
Event |
Type of Incident |
| March 11 |
Columbus Hapag Lloyd |
ABS-CBN News reports
the ship accidentally bumped a cargo vessel and hit a steel bar while docking at the Iloilo International Port in Loboc, La Paz (Philippines) today. A Filipino crew said their captain did not anticipate the rough current and strong winds, making the ship bump the MV DaeJoo Ace, a Korean vessel that was unloading some National Food Authority (NFA) Rice. After hitting the cargo vessel, it also bumped a steel bar on the docking area. The front part of the cruise ship was damaged. The ship was scheduled to leave Iloilo and proceed to Hong Kong at 7 p.m. Thursday night, but it was delayed because it had to be fixed before it can sail again. Nobody was hurt in the incident. |
Collision with ship & pier |
| March 11 |
Boudicca
Fred
Olsen Cruises |
Euro Weekly News reports three
crew-members off the ship which stopped off in Malaga Port last week had to be rushed to Carlos Haya Hospital after suffering severe burns from a water leak in the ship’s boiler-room. The ship left Southampton on March 3. Malaga was its first stop and it was due to leave at 6pm after the passengers had spent the day in the city. However, at approximately 5pm, a small explosion caused boiling water to leak from a boiler and three Filipino men aged between 30 and 33 who were working on it at the time were burned. The captain called the emergency services and a private company sent a mobile ICU with a doctor and two ambulances. The youngest of the three men is in critical condition with second degree burns to 30 per cent of his body. The ship left Malaga on its way to Cartagena just after 6pm.
1 |
Severe injury of crew members |
| March 10 |
Crown Princess
Princess Cruises
Carnival Dream
Carnival Cruise Lines |
From a reader: Bothships made multiple attempts at docking in Roatan, Honduras on March 9th. Both ships were unable to dock due to high winds and ultimately left the harbor to spend a day at sea. |
Skipped port call |
| March 10 |
Brilliance of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
International |
A reader writes:IEven though we are rather late with our comments, we hope it still might be of interest. We have been triggered in doing this as a result of the most recent accidents (last week). This accident was very similar to the one we had on Royal Caribbean and when it occurred we were informed that this was a freak incident. We have subsequently found out that this is totally untrue and the cruise companies have deliberately suppressed any information regarding this type of accident. We now know better! We sailed from Barcelona (1 Oct-13 October 2009) and through the Mediterranean. Our cruise was fine until the last night (12/13 October 2009). At about 23.30 hrs our cabin window was smashed and the cabin filled with water (as did the cabins either side of us). Our cabin was filled with water within seconds destroying the cabin interior including the ceiling falling down on the bed. We were lucky to escape and could save our lives. All six passengers were of course injured including my wife and myself. We want to warn any potential passengers booking a cruise - especially with Royal Caribbean - based on our experience: (1) This type of accident is far more common than reported by either the cruise companies or media; (2) The medical treatment and help after the accident on the ship was atrocious and totally inadequate. The behavior of the crew was incredible!; (3) Despite our lawyer's attempts to contact the company and my wife and myself sending registered letters to the President and Managing Director of Royal Caribbean we have received no reply or acknowledgement that the "accident" even occurred; (4) So far we have received absolutely no compensation for all our losses and injuries. This also applies to the other 4 passengers. Final comment: freak waves are common, the company we booked with, refuses to recognize their responsibility or to pay any compensation. We have just set up our own website and have no choice but to take Royal Caribbean to court. See the website for more details. |
Broken out windows - how common? |
| March 10 |
Boudicca
Fred
Olsen Cruises |
BBC reports 13 passengers are currently keeping to their rooms after becoming ill on a Mediterranean cruise. Up to 30 people at any time have experienced symptoms on the three-week trip. The situation has been worsened by "very stormy" conditions in the eastern Mediterranean, causing many people to suffer from sea-sickness. One passenger said the passengers are going down like flies. The ship should arrive in Southampton on 22 March and is due to set off on another cruise from Liverpool the next day. |
Illness |
| March 9 |
Radiance of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
International |
San DIego News Network reports the ship is experiencing a norovirus outbreak. It does not indicate the number person effected. |
Illness |
| March 8 |
Paradise
Carnival Cruise Lines |
The Press Telegram reports A 30-year-old cruise ship passenger who allegedly broke into the vessel's medical center and stole morphine and other drugs is set to be arraigned before a Los Angeles federal magistrate this morning. The manis charged with burglary involving controlled substances and possession of a controlled substance. He was held in the brig until the ship docked in Long Beach where he was interviewed and arrested by FBI agents, court records show. According to an affidavit filed by an FBI agent in support of the federal felony charges, a search of his cabin hours after the Valentine's Day break-in uncovered numerous syringes of the highly controlled painkillers morphine and Dilaudid, and hundreds of Percocet tablets. |
Theft of drugs from infirmary |
| March 7 |
Rotterdam
Holland America Line |
From a passenger: The ship is currently "Code Red" suspected to be the norovirus. Embarkation today will be delayed approximately 2 hours while the ship is being cleaned by crew and contracted union janitoial personnel. Complimentary shuttle busses have been chartered to take guests to nearby Seaport Village. |
Illness |
| March 5 |
Mercury
Celebrity Cruises |
The Charleston Post and Courier reports since the ship set sail from Charleston on Saturday, 55 of the 1,880 passengers have fallen ill with norovirus. The ship's most recent departure was delayed a day as a cleaning crew sanitized it, and three officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention went aboard to test for the virus.UPDATE: The CDC reports that 182 of 1749 passengers (10.41%) and 14 of 850 crew (1.65%) reported ill on the cruise ending March 8 in Charleston. |
Illness |
| March 5 |
Golden Princess
Princess Cruises |
From a reader: I was on the Golden Princess mid Jan to end of Jan to Hawai and was sick from a norovirus type of illness.
Forced to keep cabin for 2 days, no air with broken air condition ...
What a way to vacation.
There was a rumor about 400 people sick and few escorted by ambulance to the hospital.
Of course Princess denies responsibility and does not want to reveal the CDC report. |
Illness |
| March 5 |
Amorella
Viking LineVia Mare
Viamare Ferry Service |
Sky News reports more than 1,000 people have been trapped on four ships stuck in ice in the Baltic Sea off Sweden's east coast. The vessels, which were among about 50 ships stuck firm - some for several days - in the thick Baltic ice, have now been freed. The Swedish Maritime Administration and ice-breaking vessels mounted a rescue but were unable to reach the vessels immediately because of gale-force winds around the Stockholm archipelago and the Finnish island of Aland. Speaking before the ships were freed from the ice, a spokesman for the rescuers said: "As soon as they break the ice, it freezes over again." The cruise ships involved have been named as the Amorella, a passenger ferry with 943 people on board, the smaller Via Mare ferry carrying 66 people, the roll-on-roll-off ferry Sea Wind with 32 people and the Regal Star, a cargo ship with 56 people on board. |
Stuck in ice |
| March 3 |
Jewel of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
International |
The CDC reports that 102 of 2158 passengers (4.7%) and 14 of 848 crew (1.6%) have reported ill with gastrointestinal illness. The ship arrives at Miami March 5th from an 11 day cruise. |
Illness |
| March 3 |
Vision of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
Internationa |
Globo.com (Brazil) reports the ship was held today in Buzios, in the Lake District, after 195 people showed signs of vomiting and diarrhea. The National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) prevented all passengers and crew from leaving the vessel until the authorities discover the reason for the outbreak. The ship has 1987 passengers and 765 crew on board. The ship began its its seven day cruise in Santos on March 1, with stops scheduled in Buzios and Ilhabela. UPDATE: Associated Press reports the ship has been quarantined by Brazilian authories. Brazil's National Agency for Sanitary Vigilance says at least 310 people have been suffering symptoms from some kind of food poisoning. The ships is expected to leave Buzios later today. |
Illness |
| March 3 |
Millennium
Celebrity Cruises |
The CDC reports that 157 of 2020 passengers (7.76%) and 23 of 938 crew (2.45%) have reported ill with gastrointestinal illness. The ship arrives at San Juan March 5th from an 11 day cruise. |
Illness |
| March 3 |
Maasdam
Holland America Line |
The CDC reports that 168 of 1211 passengers (13.87%) and 19 of 559 crew (3.40%) have reported ill with gastrointestinal illness. The ship arrives at Fort Lauderdale March 5th from a 14 day cruise. |
Illness |
| March 3 |
Louis Majesty
Louis Cruises |
The Associated Press reports 26-foot waves have crashed into the ship off France, smashing glass windshields and killing two passengers. Another fourteen people suffered light injuries, according to USA Today. It says the accident occurred near the French Mediterranean port of Marseilles as the ship was sailing from Barcelona to Genoa with 1,350 passengers and 580 crew. The victims were only identified as a German and an Italian man. A Louis Cruise Lines spokesman said the ship was hit by three "abnormally high" waves up to 26 feet (8 meters) high that broke glass windshields in the forward section. It is heading back to Barcelona. UPDATE: CNN reports the cruise has been terminated and that the next cruise has been cancelled. The ship is expected to return to service March 14th. The ship is in Barcelona for repairs to be completed. |
Massive wave - 2 pax killed |
| March 3 |
Rosella
Viking Line |
YLE (Finland) reports the Finnish cruise ship Rosella, run by Viking Line, is one of two cruise ships that got caught in sea ice in Stockholm's archipelago. The ship was unable to reach its destination Kapellskär, and was forced to turn back to Mariehamn at around 10 p.m. Tuesday night. The Swedish cruise ship Birger Jarl was also stopped by ice as it was on its way to Stockholm. It was stuck for around a day before it managed to turn around and also return to Mariehamn. |
Stuck in ice |
| March 2 |
Costa Serena
Costa Cruises |
A reader reports there was a person overboard on the ship on Saturday while in the Atlantic between the Canary Islands and Malaga. The news was confirmed by the Company; the man overboard is a 34 year old French man. |
Person overboard |
| March 2 |
Star Princess
Princess Cruises |
Because of the earthquake and tsunami in Chile, the ship has spent a couple of extra days in Valparaiso (Chile) to allow passengers to join and leave the ship. As a consequence, the itinerary for the March 2 cruise has dropped port calls at Stanley (Falkland Islands) and Punta Arenas (Chile), |
Itinerary change |
| March 2 |
Island Escape
Thomson Cruises |
The Leicester Mercury reports a family are among more than 70 angry British holidaymakers seeking to take legal action after their cruise turned into a Christmas nightmare. They say endured a fortnight of broken toilets and leaking ceilings, while fellow passengers were struck down by diarrhoea, fever and the contagious vomiting bug, norovirus. They spent days on the ship when a series of ports refused to let the vessel dock. The passenger said things started to go wrong on the third day when the ship was refused entry to Madeira and again the next day at Cadiz. Both times, guests were told the ports were closed and were forced to stay on board where broken toilets meant a foul smell filled the air. She said: "For three full days we were at sea, it was difficult to find a toilet that was working. "There were awful smells coming through the air-conditioning. If you went into a public toilet they were filled up with stuff that had not been flushed. "There was water coming in through the ceilings everywhere. I've never experienced a holiday like it in my life." |
Lawsuit - illness, missed ports, and more |
| March 1 |
N/A |
From a reader: I have been a travel agent for 24 years and have cruised dozens of times. It seems that our Caribbean ports of call are getting more and more dangerous. When our ship (Holland America's Eurodam) was docked in San Juan last week (Feb 23, 2010) my daughter and I ran into an American man who was badly beaten, bloody-faced and in shock. He told us that he and his 73-yr-old father had taken a tour to the Old San Juan Fort and had wandered into the adjacent neighborhood. They were jumped by a group of men who punched his father in the face, stole their wallets and beat them repeatedly. It was a desperate situation, being badly hurt with no identification or money, and no one who spoke English. His father had to be hospitalized, and he says the San Juan police were of no help. UPDATE: Two readers have responded to this posting and warned that the man is a scam artist. One rader says: This guy has been approaching cruise passengers for years. He catches two people alone near the port and tells a well rehearsed story about wondering in the wrong neighborhood and getting mugged. He reports that his father is in the hospital. Isn’t it funny that his father is in the hospital but he still has blood on his face? When asked about going to the police, he says that he did and they are of no help. Another writes: We encountered the EXACT same man with the EXACT same story when we were in San Juan in November. He only wanted $12 for a taxi to the hospital to get his father. We of course felt bad and gave him more. He is dressed in a suit and speaks English without an accent. His story sounds believable.
The next day we told the story to our taxi driver. He told us that the man is out all the time asking for money. He has a skin condition that makes him look like he was beat up.
It's just a scam to make money. Advice: One needs to be senstive to the risk of street crime, but also aware of the scams played on cruise passengers.
|
Scam artist in San Juan - beware |
| March 1 |
Serenade of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
International |
From a reader: We were aboard the ship last week (Feb 20th sailing). Serenade was turned away from the port in Roseau, Dominica for high long swells. The captain did a slow sail past the west coast of the island and we got a day at sea. Only the port taxes were refunded. Many were disappointed but no massive protests occurred. |
Missed port |
| February 27 |
Island Princess
Princess Cruises |
From a reader: Because of strong underwater currents at Huatulco, MX, the ship docked and then less than 10 minutes later left the dock. The forward and aft ropes broke. Many little boats in Huatulco sank as well as unmanned boats went out to sea. You saw no wave (tsunami) but you could see like an underwater flash flood/current moving the opposite direction from the waves. It was cool to see. We were looking forward to Huatulco, but I have not found anyone aboard who is upset. I am sure everyone is glad just to have another day at sea before we end on Sunday. |
Aborted port call |
| February 26 |
Rotterdam
Holland
America Line |
A reader provided the following report: Around 10 A.M. this morning, morning while breakfast was going on, one guest, supposedly of cabin 1905, jumped from the outside deck. The jump was apparently witnessed as there was an immediate man overboard call and the ship manouvered quickly and then anchored and a search happened. The ship staff searched for hours, and then about 5 pm, they recovered the nan's body. The ship has been under code red for 6 days for norovirus and the staff was already under huge stress.
|
Passenger overboard |
| February 26 |
Mercury
Celebrity Cruises |
The ship's departure from Charleston has been delayed for one day in order to permit deep cleaning. The Post and Courier reports Ppssengers who live more than a two-hour drive from Charleston were being put up in area hotels, compliments of the cruise line. All guests were being credited $50 for any extra expenses incurred, plus a $20 credit. To accommodate the delay, the cruise's itinerary was shortened by a day, with a planned call in Key West, Fla., being canceled. Passengers who sail today were to be given on on-board credit for two-days worth of their fare and a 25 percent discount on future Celebrity cruise bookings, |
Delayed embarkation |
| February 26 |
Costa Europa
Costa Cruises |
Alarabiya reports the ship crashed into a pier in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, killing three crew members (from India, Honduras, and Brazil -- all worked in the galley and were asleep in their beds at the time of the accident) and injuring four tourists. The four tourists, three British women (passengers) and an Italian man (crew), were taken to hospital in stable condition. The ship had arrived in Sharm el-Sheikh from the Red Sea port town of Safaga when it smashed into the pier. It was not immediately clear what caused the accident. The Sun (UK) includes pictures of the damage with its story. It was subsequently announced that the cruise, which began at Dubai and was scheduled to end at Savona was terminated; passengers were disembarked and will be flown back to their destinations. UPDATE: The cruises scheduled for March 4 and 22 have been canceled. |
Collision with pier - 3 Deaths and 4 injured |
| February 23 |
Maasdam
Holland
America Line |
From a passenger: Maasdam has just gone into code red with a few cases of GI on board. So far don't know the numbers but to prevent spreading it further and developing into a major outbreak food and water is being served to us, no salt and pepper shakers on tables etc. Only 2 days into it but hopefully it will be over with soon!
|
Illness |
| February 23 |
Caribbean Princess
Princess Cruises |
Cruise Critic reports
a tour bus carrying passengers to a "Tropical Forest Hike and Beach" ship-sponsored shore excursion in Tortola went off the road and flipped earlier today. Of the 20 passengers onboard, one person was killed and two others were seriously injured.
According to a statement issued by the cruise line, Princess is still investigating the details of this morning's accident. The injured passengers have been taken to a local hospital, while the other tour participants are back on the ship, being checked out by the ship's medical staff. The passenger who died was a 24-year-old man from Rochester, New York, on vacation with his parents, who were also on the tour. The ship is on the second day of its seven-night Southern Caribbean itinerary. It was in St. Thomas yesterday, and is scheduled to visit Antigua, St. Lucia and Barbados before returning to its embarkation port of San Juan on Sunday. UPDATE: The crash occurred as the bright green tour bus was descending a steep hill on Tortola when it reportedly veered off the road, crashed into a rocky embankment and flipped on its side. There is some suggestion the brakes failed. The driver has been charged with dangerous driving. |
Passenger death on shore excursion; others injured |
| February 23 |
Black Watch
Fred
Olsen Cruises |
Cruise Business Review reports a woman from the UK has been awarded a £70,000 settlement after her husband died from Legionnaire’s Disease, contracted on board a Fred Olsen cruise. She and her husband were on the ship in July 2007, when it was announced there had been an outbreak of Legionnaire's on the ship. As a result, a number of passengers were affected by the illness, the cruise ended early and the couple returned home on 30th July. The 77 year old man died a couple of days later. An inquest ruled the cruise line exposed the man to Legionnaire’s Disease and found that the two doctors he saw (off ship) failed to prescribe adequate medication, respond to his worsening condition or arrange for his admission to hospital. |
Lawsuit settled |
| February 22 |
Mercury
Celebrity Cruises |
Associated Press reports 326 guests and 27 crew members have fallen ill with a stomach ailment -- passengers began complaining Sunday of upset stomachs, vomiting and diarrhea. A company spokesperson said the ship's medical facilities were overwhelmed and another doctor and nurse came aboard in St. Kitts in the British Virgin Islands. The ship made four other stops in the Caribbean. It's not clear what pathogen was involved, but samples were being dropped off in Puerto Rico for testing. The ship left Charleston on Feb. 15 and is scheduled to return Feb. 26. UPDATE: WIBW reports the numberofill passengers is now 419. UPDATE Feb 25: CDC reports the numbers ill were 411 of 1833 passengers (22.43%) and 32 of 843 crew (3.8%) Disembarking passengers spoke of a rumor that the outbreak stemmed to a Caribbean excursion that included punch and cookies, but this is unconfirmed. |
Illness |
| February 22 |
Costa Marina
Costa Cruises |
It has been reported that because of mudslides & floods in Madeira, the ship has cancelled her call into Funchal tomorrow. She is to remain at sea and make her way to Tangiers for Wednesday. |
Canceled port call |
| February 21 |
Pacific Venus
Japan Cruise Line |
The Honolulu Advertiser reports the U.S. Coast Guard will resume searching for a crew member who went overboard Saturday when the ship was south of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The ship, on its way back to Japan, reported the 24-year-old crew member went overboard at 2 p.m. Saturday. The cruise ship was about 300 miles southwest of Midway Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands when it first reported the crew member missing. |
Crew member overboard |
| February 20 |
Concordia
Class Afloat |
The Vancouver Sun reports 64 passengers and crew were rescued in lifeboats in the Atlantic Ocean after the sailing ship sank Thursday in rough waters about 550 kilometres from Rio de Janeiro. The crew and passengers (high school students) spent 16 to 18 hours huddled in life rafts until rescuers found them in the dark. |
Sank |
| February 19 |
Ecstasy
Carnival Cruise Lines |
Fox News Houston reports the FBI is investigating what they call a mysterious death on the high seas. A 32-year-old woman was found dead in her stateroom - she was on the cruise with her boyfriend. The cause of death is unknown. Her body will be turned over to the medical examiner when the ship docks in Galveston tomorrow (Saturday). UPDATE: Police News reports February 20th that the death has been ruled a homicide; that the woman was beaten to death and the prime suspect is the man she married while onboard the ship. However the Galveston Daily News reports February 22nd that here was no evidence of trauma and that the cause of death will be determined pending a toxicology report, which can take from two to three weeks. |
Death onboard |
| February 19 |
Statendam
Holland
America Line |
CTV (Canada) reports a crew member aboard a ship housing 2010 Olympic security forces is bring treated for leprosy. Leprosy is typically characterized by skin rashes and nerve damage. It is easily treated with antibiotics. The crew member visited a doctor aboard the ship, who in turn referred the case to a dermatologist in Vancouver. Samples were sent to a lab and came back positive. The crew member was immediately treated. Leprosy is not highly contagious to begin with, and there is no risk of the disease spreading 24 hours after treatment. The crew member worked in the engine room so had no contact with passengers and there is no indication that it spread to any other crew members. |
Leprosy |
| February 19 |
Voyager of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
International |
The Jamaica Gleaner reports the ship skipped its call at Montego Bay yesterday because of weather. According to the Meteorological Service, winds over 27 knots were present in the Montego Bay area sometime after 6:30 yesterday morning. |
Skipped port call |
| February 19 |
Unknown |
WHEC TV reports a Rochester, NY man has been indicted by a grand jury for sexual assault of a 13 year old girl on a cruise ship. According to a criminal complaint on December 31, 2006, a 13-year-old female boarded a cruise ship in Florida to embark upon a cruise with her family. In the early morning hours of January 1, 2007, the teen was walking around the decks of the ship with friends when they were approached by a 24-year-old male passenger. According to the complaint, the man told the teen and her friends that they should return to their cabin. The girl followed the manwho took her to another deck where the sexual assault allegedly took place. The complaint states that she was told if she screamed, she would be thrown overboard. NOTE: Between 17.5 and 30 percent of sexual assaults on cruise ships are perpetrated against minors. |
Sexual assault |
| February 18 |
Carnival Splendor
Carnival Cruise Lines |
At around 7:00 AM, ship's time, as we were coming into Mazatlan, and I was in the shower, the ship made a hard turn that caused the ship to list sharply. The Splendor turned so hard that I had to hold on to the shower walls to stay upright and our cabin's cabinet drawers fell open and the closet doors slammed open and shut.
Shortly after the event, I ventured into the hallways and found the forward elevators flooded with water running down the shafts. The Aft Lido Dining area under the Rotisserie also had several inches of water flooding the area. We turned so hard the pools and hot tubs had spilled thousands of gallons of water into the ship.
That evening after we departed port the Captain came on the P.A. system and explained that we were going through heavy rain and rough seas that morning and that the ship's radar had missed some small yachts in front of the Splendor, and that last minute they spotted the boats by eye and had turned sharply to avoid a collision. He said he made the announcement because many passenger thought the heavy rains had flooded the ship and that they felt the Splendor was not seaworthy.
|
Sharp turn causes flooding |
| February 16 |
Melody
MSC Cruises |
Brazilian media reports about 150 people were unable to embark on a cruise that left earlier than expected from the port of Fortaleza. The cruise docked in Fortaleza at 10am and was scheduled to board between noon and 16:00. However, due to strong winds the ship left ahead of schedule. Even crew members were left behind. The ship was beginning a seven day cruise. |
Pax left behind |
| February 15 |
Disney Magic
Disney Cruise Line |
The Daily Herald reports the ship's port call at Sint Maarten on Tuesday has been cancelled because of sea conditions. That may be the case, however it is also not unlikely that the ship's delayed departure from Port Canaaveral (see February 13 below) is responsible for the change in itinerary. |
Cancelled port call |
| February 15 |
Carnival Victory
Carnival Cruise Lines |
The Daily Herald reports the ship cancelled its call at Sint Maarten on February 13th because of sea conditions. It attempted to berth alongside the pier but the ground swells proved to be too strong to allow safe berthing. Cruise passengers had to spend another day at sea. |
Cancelled port call |
| February 14 |
Carnival Legend
Carnival Cruise Lines |
USA Today reports the ship experienced mechanical probelms causing a seven hour delayed arrival (and disembarkation/embarkation) at Tampa. While the cruise line allowed passengers to make free phone calls to change travel arrangements from Tampa, it did not permit free access to computers, charging sign on fees of $3.95 and pay-as-you-go minute charges of 75 cents - no exceptions. Guests speculated whether an unusual incident that happened as the ship left its last port in Roatan, Honduras on Friday might have contributed to the problem. As the Legend pulled away from the island, it suddenly and momentarily listed to starboard. The ship recovered quickly, and no one thought much about it at the time, though some speculated the sudden pitch of the Legend while leaving Roatan may actually have been caused by the ship touching the channel wall as she made her way to the open sea. February 16: The ship is in Cozumel today (rather than tomorrow; Grand Cayman appears to have been dropped from the itinerary), a port call not on the original itinerary. The change is a conseqeunce of propulsion problems emerging on the last cruise. According to USA Today, the problems only effect the ship's speed -- all other system are functioning properly. |
Mechanical problems |
| February 14 |
Norwegian Gem
Norwegian Cruise Line |
The following was received from a reader -- there has been no independent confirmation about the accuracy of this report: My wife and I recently took a cruise aboard the Norwegian Gem, leaving New York on February 3, 2010, returning February 13, 2010. As we approached the New York harbor, I noticed we were being followed by two police boats and a police helicopter was circling overhead. We've been on many cruises out of New York as my wife doesn't fly and this is the first time we've had such an escort. The crew would only tell us that there was a slight delay. An announcement to the crew earlier mentioned a "code alpha". When we asked about it, we were told it was nothing. As we left the terminal, we asked our porter what was going on and he responded that there was a double suicide on our ship. I don't know if this is true or not, there was nothing in the news but the police presence was considerable, both offshore and on. A discussion on Cruise Critic gives additional insight into the story. |
?Suicide? |
| February 13 |
Mercury
Celebrity Cruises |
WBAL-TV (Baltimore) reports six people onboard the ship are being treated for exposure to carbon monoxide. Baltimore City fire officials said six crew members have been taken to local hospitals. Crew members were performing a welding operation on board the ship inside the engine room Friday and after the work was done the members began to report respiratory problems and other medical issues, and reported to the ship's medical facility. The 6 crew members were transported to local hospitals upon arrival in Baltimore. Baltimore City hazmat crews are trying to determine where the leak was coming from. |
Carbon monoxide poisoning (crew) |
| February 13 |
Disney Magic
Disney Cruise Line |
Florida Today reports gale force winds have prevented the ship from returning home from the Bahamas this morning, leaving other anxious travelers stranded at Port Canaveral. The ship was due for docking early this morning, but now won't be back at port at least until late this evening or Sunday morning. WInds and high seas prevented the ship from leaving Castaway Cay (the ship's private island). The ship will have to cruise into the northwesterly wind on its journey back to the U.S. It is expected to take 13 hours to reach Port Canaveral. The delay impacts thousands of people, including those already on the ship, and the thousands more who were set to head out Saturday afternoon on the ship's next seven-day cruise. |
Delayed disembarkation / embarkation |
| February 12 |
Volendam
Holland
America Line |
The Howich and Pakuranga Times reports a New Zealand couple were evicted from the ship last summer in Juneau after a passenger who asked for a room upgrade was turned down and jokingly commented that if he threatened to jump overboard they'd probably give him a balcony cabin. The article reports, he was sent immediately to the ship’s doctor and “I was told I was a nut case”. Adding insult to injury they were confined to their cabin, except for being escorted to meals, until the ship docked in Juneau, Alaska. To their astonishment an ambulance was waiting to take them to nearby Bartlett Hospital. “They made us take all our gear with us,” says the passenger. “They had no right to put my wife off the ship as well.” A day of tests followed, including a brain scan for a possible tumour which the medics felt could explain his “erratic behaviour”. After they racked up about $3330 in fees, the hospital gave him a three-page letter saying he was fit and healthy, and was no danger to himself or to anyone else. But when they returned to the ship, they were refused permission to re-board it. |
Passengers evicted |
| February 8 |
Boudicca
Fred
Olsen Cruises |
A poster at Cruise Critic (message #20) reports, "As of Friday 5th Feb Fred Olsen says about eighty people infected on the present cruise. The ship will again be "deep cleansed" on its return. FO will write to all next group passengers setting out the position and presumably the options. My partner and I have strong recommendations from our GPs not to risk it and I am cancelling and requesting refunds". |
Illness |
| February 7 |
Costa Victoria
Costa Cruises |
Terra reports an Argentine tourist liner passenger died on Saturday during a tour of the schooner in Ilha Grande, Angra dos Reis, south coast of Rio de Janeiro. The woman was found by other passengers floating in a place known as Blue Lagoon. The passenger was removed by the Fire Brigade and sent to the Forensic Institute. Will open an administrative inquiry to investigate the causes and circumstances of death. The name and age of the woman was not disclosed. |
Death on shore |
| February 7 |
Isle of Arran
Caledonia MacBrayne Ferry |
BBC reports fourteen passengers were brought to shore safely after the ferry crashed into a pier on the Kintyre Peninsula while reversing into the harbour at Kennacraig at about 0930 GMT, after sailing from Islay . The ferry, which was also carrying a few commercial vehicles, hit the pier but no-one was hurt in the incident. A spokesman for the ferry company said early indications were that a mechanical fault was to blame. Engineers are now assessing damage to the pier, which is not thought to be too severe. |
Collision with pier |
| February 3 |
Imagination
Carnival Cruise Lines |
From a passenger: a passenger from our ship died while parasailing in Cozumel. We got no details other than the statement that a passenger had been in an 'unfortunate accident' while in Cozumel. The ship pulled out of port about an hour late in order to complete paperwork related to the accident, according to the cruise announcement. Another reader sent a URL for a story about the victim. He also said the victim's harness failed and he dropped approx 250 ft. to the water and died. |
Death on shore |
| February 3 |
Boudicca
Fred
Olsen Cruises |
The Antigua Sun reports a British couple was attacked and robbed yesterday while on an outing in the Villa area. It is reported that the couple arrived in Antigua earlier yesterday, journeyed to the Villa area, and while walking along Bay Street, they were approached by three young men, who suddenly appeared from out of some nearby bushes. The youths were armed with a piece of stick. The couple was then robbed of a digital camera. During the incident, the female visitor received a blow to her head with the stick while the man sustained an injury to his hand, after being struck by the piece of stick. They were taken to the Mount St. John Medical Centre (MSJMC) where they were treated and discharged. |
Robbery ashore |
| February 2 |
Bahamas Celebration
Celebration Cruise Line |
A reader writes: Illness hit many of the passengers on the Jan 29 sailing to Nassau (including my wife). Saturday night it seems at least 1/3 third of the passengers became ill with gastrointestinal symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea. Ship crew would not confirm norovirus or food poisoning, but the illness did not seem to pass on to others, suggesting food poisoning. Returned to Fort Lauderdale Monday morning. We had booked in the specialty restaurant for the Sunday night. My wife was too sick to leave her stateroom, but I went on my own. Another group was there: was supposed to be a group of 16. Only 7 were there, as the rest were too ill. Other groups came in later. One was to be 8 people; only 5 could come. Most everyone I talked to had a partner or friends ill. It all seemed to begin from 6 pm Saturday to Sunday morning. |
Illness |
| January 30 |
Mariner of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
International |
Posting at Cruise Criitc: Greetings from the still intact Mariner of the Seas. Yes, there was a bomb threat yesterday and for a while the entire port was closed. Could not use the elevators and anything below deck 4 was off limits. Kinda tough climbing the 3 decks of stairs for lunch, but we made it Divers made numerous swims under the ship and the local law enforcement was searching the lower decks. Around 5:00 pm Captain Per came on and gave us the REAL story. We had received many announcements throughout the day, but finally got the rest of the story. |
Bomb scare |
| January 28 |
Carnival Dream
Carnival Cruise Lines |
John Heald's blog says the ship missed its port call at Costa Maya because of high winds. Those same winds were responsible for Carnival Glory cancelling her call at Mahogany Bay and going to the old pier at Isla Roatan instead. |
Missed port call |
| January 28 |
Ecstasy
Carnival Cruise Lines |
Posters at Cruise Critic indicate that as the ship was docking at Galveston it hit the elevated gangway used to embark & disembark guests. There wasn't much damage to the ship other than scraped paint, but several window panels fell out of gangway. The $1.8 million structure is out of commission for 30 days or more for repairs. The Galveston County Daily News subsequently carried a story. |
Collision with pier |
| January 28 |
Carnival Miracle
Carnival Cruise Lines |
SKN Vibes reports the ship collided with the pier at Port Zante (St. Kitts) around 11:00 a.m. Upon arriving on the scene, there was no permitted entry into the arrival hall, but the cruise ship had a visible blackened dent on the right side. It was confirmed that both the cruise ship and the port facility were damaged during this morning’s berthing. “According to information received, while the ship was berthing a gust of wind thrust the ship to hit one of the dolphins and it subsequently hit a one of the fenders on the pier. The dolphin and fender were damaged and the ship also sustained damages.” The ship will remain in St. Kitts overnight for repairs and depart for Fort Lauderdale tomorrow morning. It will arrive Sunday in Fort Lauderdale four hours later than usual, arriving at noon. |
Collision with pier |
| January 27 |
Queen Victoria
Cunard Line |
The CDC reports 19 of 983 crew (1.93%) and 168 of 1854 passengers (9.06) reported ill on the cruise running 12 - 27 January. The cruise began in New York City; CDC performed an operational inspection on January 15th in Fort Lauderdale; the cruise ended in San Francisco. This is the second illness outbreak in a row. |
Illness |
| January 27 |
Clelia II
Travel Dynamics International |
Thought to have sustained only minor damage to its starboard propeller when a strong current pushed the ship against rocks in Antarctica in late December (see December 27, 2009), the ship's Antarctica season has now been canceled. When taken out of the water in drydock, it was determined the propeller would need to be replaced. The ship remains in drydock, awaiting the delivery of a propeller being manufactured in Denmark. The propeller is expected to be installed by the beginning of March. The ship is scheduled to sail the Amazon River starting March 20. |
Cancelations |
| January 27 |
Norwegian Sky
Norwegian Cruise Line |
Bahama Islands Info reports two cruise passengers were struck by a car at 10am Tuesday, January 26th, when the motorcycle they were on attempted to negotiate a U-turn on Queens Highway. The rider and passenger were knocked from the motorcycle, receiving injuries for which they were transported to the Accident and Emergency Section of the Rand Memorial Hospital. At 1:40pm, the female, age 64 years, succombed to her injuries and the male, age 63 years, was treated and detained. Investigations are being continued by officers at the Police Traffic Department. |
Death ashore |
| January 26 |
Carnival Destiny
Carnival Cruise Lines |
Cruise Critic reports the cancelingof two of the ship's sailings -- and will modify three others -- to allow the ship to dry-dock for repairs to its propulsion system. The dry-dock will take place February 13 through 20. Canceled: A five-night sailing, departing on February 13 and a four-night sailing, departing on February 18, will be canceled. Note: A brand-new, two-night cruise to Nassau has been created, departing on February 20. Modified: A five-night cruise on January 30 will now visit Cozumel and Costa Maya instead of Ocho Rios and Grand Cayman, a four-night cruise on February 4 will visit Cozumel and skip a scheduled call in Key West, and a five-night sailing, departing February 8, will include stops in Freeport (rather than Grand Turk), Nassau and Half Moon Cay. |
Itinerary changes & cancelations |
| January 22 |
Boudicca
Fred
Olsen Cruises |
The Portsmouth News reports 150 passengers became ill from norovirus on the Canary Island cruise beginning January 4 and ending January 18. |
Illness |
| January 22 |
Royal Clipper
Star Clippers |
USA Today reports a 30-year old New Mexico woman was found dead in Antigua after she strayed from a barbecue near Pigeon Point Beach. The woman was stabbed to death; her body was found at around 5 p.m. Tuesday on a secluded trail at Windward Bay. A statement provided by Star Clippers said authorities have a description of the alleged assailant, but have not made an arrest. UPDATE: Star Clippers have pulled out of Antigua til at least next winter. They will be monitoring the port security over the summer and make a decision about next winter nearer the time. They are replacing Antigua with Nevis on the remaining cruises til they sail back to Europe in April. |
Murder ashore |
| January 22 |
Sapphire Princess
Princess Cruises |
From a passenger: The ship cancelled our stop at Cabo San Lucas yesterday, January 21, 2010, due to high seas because of storms that had passed through north of Cabo, which would have slowed us down and possibly made people miss their flights home from Los Angeles on Saturday. Good thing they did, we think--pretty rough seas today. |
Canceled port call |
| January 21 |
Liberty of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
International |
Cayman News Service reports the body of a 37-year-old man has been discovered in a cabin on board the ship. A spokesperson said that officers were investigating the situation but were unable to give any more details about how the man may have died. Police said they received a report that the body had been found just before lunchtime today (Thursday 21 January). The cruise had already caused controversy in some quarters of the community as the ship had been chartered by a tour operator catering to gay tourism. |
Death onboard |
| January 21 |
Fantasy
Carnival Cruise Lines |
The Press Register reports today's departure was delayed because of heavy fog in the Port of Mobile and surrounding areas. The ship will get under way as soon as fog lifts sufficiently to tow the ship to the Gulf of Mexico -- it could be later tonight, and it could be in the morning. Update from Passenger: We were able to get undeway about 11 PM as the fog broke somewhat. Arrived three hours late in Cozumel two days later, but extended stay by two hours to make up. On the way back, 200 miles from Mobile, passenger with illness along with family members evacuated by helicopter from ship to hospital in Mobile. The previous cruise by the way was two-three hours late arriving back in Mobile and this caused a massive traffice jam for miles at the terminal parking, and delayed the attempted departure by two hours, which was then further delayed due to fog as previously mentioned. The City of Mobile (who handles the parking deck/terminal) is not well equipped to handle traffice at the cruise terminal when situations such as this occur, as the parking garage can only barely hold one ship's worth of vehicles. Returning cruise did arrive back in Mobile on time. |
Fog delay |
| January 17 |
Expedition
GAP Expeditions |
I have been informed that GAP's new ship (Expedition) didn't sail from Ushuaia on it most recent cruise. There is no word about what is wrong. Passenegrs were accommodated on other ships sailing to Antarctica. From a reader: The ship has been laid up in Las Palmas with engine trouble since at least November. |
Cancellation - engine trouble |
| January 16 |
Volendam
Holland
America Line |
Fiji Times reports the ship
cancelled its visit to Levuka after an assessment by the ship's master that showed that the passage and the currents were unsafe for passengers to go ashore from the vessel. The ship had to leave for Suva early in the morning. The vessel started its journey on January 6 from Sydney, Australia heading to New Caledonia, on to Vanuatu, then to Fiji yesterday. |
Cancelled port call |
| January 14 |
Noordam
Holland America Line |
A passenger wrote to say
the 10 day cruise from Fort Lauderdale to the Caribbean (January 04-14 2010) had a norovirus outbreak on the 3rd day of the 10 day cruise and it ended on the last full day of the cruise. It was subsequently learned that the number of people infected was 36-38, so below the 3% threshold to be considered an outbreak. The cruise left Fort Lauderdale 01/04/10 and the outbreak started 01/07/10 and ended 01/13/10. My cynical self became very suspicious when there was no additional disinfecting practices observed. |
Illness |
| January 14 |
Amsterdam
Holland
America Line |
The CDC today reported the following illness outbreak last month: The ship reported 8 of 610 (1.31%)
crew and 56 of 1317 (4.25%) passengers had reported ill with
gastrointestinal illness on
a 21 day cruise ending December 23. |
Illness |
| January 14 |
Seven Seas Mariner
Regent Seven Seas Cruies |
The CDC today reported the following illness outbreak last month: The ship reported 28 of 621 (4.51%) passengers had reported ill with
gastrointestinal illness on
an 18 day cruise ending December 20. |
Illness |
| January 14 |
Norwegian Gem
Norwegian Cruise Line |
From a reader: Just got off the ship. Had broken azipod propusion system
when we left new york.. ship was constantly listing and bouncing for
five days until fixed in St. Thomas. |
Propulsion problems |
| January 14 |
Sapphire Princess
Princess Cruises |
The following was received today from a reader - I include it here because it is (in my mind) outrageous -- children throwing food overboard are expelled from the ship, but the ship itself regularly discharges liquified food waste as part of normal operations. Make up your own mind on who is "right." For Christmas, my husband and I gave our two grown sons and their families a cruise to Mexico on the Sapphire Princess departing and returning to Los Angeles. We were spending Christmas on the ship. It would have been the first time I had managed to get both families together in 20 years for the holiday. On Dec. 23, at sea between Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas, my two grandsons, age 13 ands 15, were in a cabin of another boy they had met on the ship and they had thrown some articles of food overboard including a fork. Apparently, they were spotted on camera by security. The next day in Cabo San Lucas (Christmas Eve day), my son, his wife and the two boys were ordered off the ship by Captain Tony Herriott and had to pay their own way back to Los Angeles. Three other families whose sons were also involved were ordered off the ship. The Captain's actions devastated us all. Needless to say, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were very depressing days for the seven of us that remained on board. There is now a new Christmas Grinch out there and he is the Captain of a Princess cruise ship! |
Expulsion from ship |
| January 14 |
Musica
MSC Cruises |
Police reportedly suspect that a crew member found dead on the ship off Brazil was strangled. The woman’s body was discovered inside her cabin by a man believed to be her partner, the O Globo newspaper reported. She worked as a bartender on the ship, which was about to complete a seven-day, trans-Atlantic cruise. The man who found the woman told police she hanged herself with a bedsheet, but officers said they believed she was strangled, the newspaper said. |
Murder |
| January 14 |
Balmoral
Fred
Olsen Cruises |
I have received an email from a passenger on the current world cruise saying that 80 people have been confined to their cabin because of norovirus. More information will be posted as it becomes available. UPDATE February 3: The CDC reports 293 of 1163 passengers (25.19%) and 17 of 519 crew (3.28%) reported ill on the cruise running 5 January to 4 February (time in US waters on world cruise). |
Illness |
| January 13 |
Explorer of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
International |
RCI issued a statement that the ship's departure from dry dock in Freeport, Bahamas was delayed. Because of this, it is expected to arrive in Bayonne, New Jersey on Thursday, January 14 later than originally scheduled. Guests are asked to not arrive at the port before 3:00 p.m., but no later than 7:00 p.m. The delayed departure is not expected to have an impact on the scheduled itinerary. |
Delayed departure |
| January 12 |
Aurora
P&O Cruises |
Cruises.co.uk has a posting about an illness outbreak on the early stages of a world cruise. As stated, Already the buffet restaurant has been closed for four days and the Captains party has been postponed twice. It is unclear the extent of the illness. |
Illness |
| January 12 |
Dawn Princess
Princess Cruises |
Sydney Morning Herald reports more than 240 Australian passengers on a cruise to New Zealand were struck down by a gastro virus. Health officials boarded the ship when it docked at Station Pier in Melbourne early yesterday to examine infection-control procedures after the outbreak caused vomiting and diarrhoea among passengers. All passengers were allowed to leave the ship which was ending its 13-night cruise in Melbourne. "The infection control officer will be checking that cleaning procedures have been carried out to prevent any further spread," said Victorian health department spokesman Graeme Walker. Carnival Australia, the company that operates the ship, confirmed the outbreak happened three days after it left Melbourne on December 29 with about 2000 passengers. |
Illness |
| January 11 |
Disney Wonder
Disney Cruise Line |
A poster at Cruise Critic writes: Me, the hubby and three kids set sail 1-7-10 for a three day Bahamas on Disney Wonder. By midnight the second night, our 13 year old was sick and about 16 hours later it hit the 11 year old. Ship doctor said "GI" infection and gave us anti-nausea meds, he was cranky and rude (which is unacceptable when dealing with sick children). In his defense, however, I quickly discovered why. I'll bet he and his staff were up all night dealing with sick people. By the second morning, after the first kid got sick, all buffet stations were no longer self-serve. Even the beverage stations on deck were roped off and crew members were handing drinks to people. |
Illness |
| January 10 |
Norwegian Jade
Norwegian Cruise Line |
A reader reports:
there were reports on our sailing (Jan 3rd) that 300 pax were sick with GI. One passenger who came down sick was a close friend of mine. I can tell you that after the first day, all buffet areas were no longer "self serve" and remained that way for the entire cruise. NCL appeared to be very diligent in battling the outbreak. Crew was sanitizing constantly, and did seem to get it under control. From another reader: According to one ship announcement the illness involved up to 8% of the
passengers. The Jade went into extensive prevention measures including
hand santisers in every elevator, crew with hand spray at the entrance
to each restaurant and the major shop, removal of all brochures about
trips which normally are available for passenger reading, and
substituting crew for all self-service including bread at dinner,
coffee and tea in the cafe. When we returned to Barcelona at the end
of the cruise continuing passengers were obliged to leave the ship for
several hours in the morning as the entire ship was being sanitized.
Sorry to say it didn't work for me - I came down with a virus of short
duration at the second Moroccan port with complications that lasted
several days. Medical attention was prompt, and free, and,
fortunately, effective. |
Illness |
| January 9 |
Queen Victoria
Cunard Line |
The Daily Mail erroneously reports the ship could be refused entry into the U.S. after an outbreak of a winter vomiting bug. The paper said the Queen Victoria will not be allowed to dock if the virus reaches an epidemic rate, where 15 per cent of those onboard are affected, authorities warn. So far, 30 people have been confined to their cabins. The ship's captain has ordered a major cleaning operation of handrails, dining rooms and other public areas in a bid to protect the remaining 2,000 or so passengers and crew. Self-service of food and beverages has been stopped and receptions have been canceled. The ship is due to arrive at New York on Monday and on Tuesday will leave for the Caribbean for a two-week tour. Update: South Florida Business Review and the CDC reports 9.55% of passengers (179) reported ill as did eight (0.981%) of ther crew. |
Illness |
| January 8 |
Poesia
MSC Cruises |
The Sun Sentinel reports Authorities evacuated hundreds of people from a Port Everglades terminal after a customs agent stopped a man with a suspicious liquid that may have sickened the agent. The 25-year-old man accused of having the liquid was held on a charge of marijuana possession because he also was found with the drug. The customs agent, as well as the Broward Sheriff's Office, was on the lookout for subjects of arrest warrants, as passengers were disembarking from a cruise ship about 10:30 a.m. at Terminal 4. The ship had returned to Port Everglades after a five-night cruise. About 300 people, including cruise ship passengers, were in the terminal during the incident and were evacuated. Meanwhile, passengers still on the ship were required to remain aboard while hazardous materials technicians investigated. Officials reopened the terminal about three hours after the incident. |
Terminal evacuated |
| January 7 |
Norwegian Jade
Norwegian Cruise Line |
A reader reports a man went overboard. Discussions with crew indicated he was wearing a life jacket. He was apparently rescued and then put off the ship in Turkey. I personally heard the operation bright star called out about 30 minutes before sunset, and saw the ship come to a stop. I then saw rescue boats in the water. It was announced by the cruise director at the show that night that the man was "rescued and re-united with his family". From another reader: I
will confirm that there was a passenger overboard, off the coast of
Egypt. The ship changed course to locate and rescue him, and lucky for
him they were quick about it, as darkness was falling. We heard
unofficially that he jumped with a life jacket, and officially that he
was rescued alive. From the jumper: This is seriously from the man overboard that day. I'm writing to you cuz some of what was posted isn't correct. January 9th 2010 close to sunset shortly after awaking from a nap I jumped from the 11th floor with my life vest on. Reason for jumping..... well that's between me and my family. I was told the rescue took 30min. I was then deported off the ship in Egypt to another hospital. Only injuries i had where bruised legs and a cramped neck for a week. Thankful for being alive. Although i now owe ncl 5,565,000 for jumping not even including the 1,300.00 stay at the ic on ship. |
Overboard - Rescued alive |
| January 7 |
Hannah Glover and Rockmmore
Rockmore Co. |
The Boston Herald reports the company has agreed to pay more than $300,000 in fines and other costs for dumping raw sewage directly from its vessels into coastal waters and the Charles River. Prosecutors allege that Marblehead-based Rockmore Co. Inc., which operates the vessels Hannah Glover and Rockmore, from 1990 until 2006 knowingly discharged untreated sewage from the boats toilets into North Shore waters. The Hannah Glover offers dinner cruises, sightseeing trips, and ferry service. The Rockmore is a restaurant boat moored in Salem Harbor. Under an agreement reached with federal prosecutors, the company agreed to plead guilty to two counts of violating federal law, and pay a $225,000 fine as well as a $75,000 payment to the state environmental trust. |
Environmental |
| January 7 |
Black Watch
Fred
Olsen Cruises |
The BVI Beacon reports a second cruise passenger died this month while swimming off Tortola (see January 5 below). The latest incident involved an 86 year old man swimming at Nanny Cay Beach who was pulled from the water at 2:30 PM and transported to Peebles Hospital. He was pronounced dead at 3:30 PM, and an autopsy is pending. |
Death ashore |
| January 6 |
Star Clipper
Star Clippers Cruises |
Travel Pulse reports the company announced that its tall ship in Asia will relocate to the Caribbean for the 2010 winter season due to increased piracy in the Far East. Following its summer sailings in the Eastern Mediterranean, Star Clipper will reposition to St. Maarten in November for seven-night roundtrip cruises. The company has deployed a ship to the Far East during the winter for more than a decade. The Far East itineraries, featuring Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, have been well received, but owner Mikael Krafft said geopolitical conditions, not related directly to the destinations themselves, dictated this decision. |
Piracy concerns |
| January 5 |
Sea Princess
Princess Cruises |
Virgin Islands Platinum News reports a cruise passenger from a ship docked at Tortola died after he was pulled out of the sea in the area of Cane Garden Bay (CGB) beach. The man, in his 50´s, was unconscious but relentless CPR work assisted him in regaining some level of consciousness. At one point, he was not breathing on his own and information suggests that he had a weak pulse. Rescuers were able to get a substantial amount of food and liquid out of him during rescuing measures at the beach, however one and a half hours later he was pronounced dead at the hospital. BVI lifeguard officials have been warning persons not to go into areas where there are red flags and a bulletin issued for Tuesday had clearly stated the dangerous areas on Tortola included Apple Bay, Josiah´s Bay, Lambert Beach and with Cane Garden Bay being the most dangerous for Tuesday. All these areas have red flags as warning signs. |
Death ashore |
| January 5 |
Star Princess
Princess Cruises |
Cruise Critic and Princess Cruises reported the ship arrived in Valparaiso late (at around 11:30 AM rather than 6:00 AM), likely the result of rough seas enroute to the port. Many passengers needed assistance changing flight arrangements given the late arrival. The report was removed from both websites later in the day, so a URL cannot be given. |
Late arrival |
| January 5 |
Norwegian Gem
Norwegian
Cruise Line |
From a reader: It has been reported that Norwegian Gem is experiencing propulsion trouble on her current cruise. This has caused at least one session of drifting without power and missing the call into San Juan.
Currently there are no further details as to what the cause is or if it will impact future cruises. |
Propulsion problems |
| January 5 |
Monarch of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
International |
Times Now reports forty eight hours after the suicide of a 23-year old woman (see December 31, 2009), her husband who is an onboard manager has gone missing. A subseqeunt report in Indian Express indicates he went missing after the ship docked in Miami. |
Crew member missing |
| January 5 |
Balmoral
Fred
Olsen Cruises |
Kent Online reports the ship is undergoing a thorough clean and disinfection at Dover today after more than 350 passengers and crew were taken ill during a Christmas and New Year cruise. The ship leaves tonight on a 106-night world cruise. |
Illness |
| January 4 |
Georich
Phillipine ferry |
Manilla Bulletin reports a Cebu-bound (Phillipines) passenger vessel conked out off Apo Island Saturday night, leaving the fate of 465 passengers to strong winds and waves for nearly an hour before it was towed to safety. The vessel left the port of Dapitan at 4:15 p.m. on Saturday on its way to Cebu. It was set to make a stopover in Dumaguete City but about two hours into the voyage, it experienced a malfunction in its main engine. It was subsequently determined that some parts of the engine were damaged beyond repair. The ship was towed to the Dumaguete port. The ship was scheduled to arrive in Dumaguete at 8 PM but the incident delayed its arrival to 2 AM the following day, Sunday. |
Engine failure |
| January 3 |
Summit
Celebrity Cruises |
From a passenger: At St. Thomas Celebrity Summit had a bomb scare clearing passengers and providing food at a restaurant on the pier Jan 3 about 2:00pm local time |
Bomb scare |
| January 3 |
Indian ferry |
AFP reports at least 27 people were missing after an overcrowded ferry capsized in a river in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal. The small vessel, with 38 passengers on board, sank while crossing the Runarayan river in Kolaghat, about 50 kilometres southwest of the state capital Kolkata. It was overcrowded and leaking, and overturned in the middle of the river. Local fishermen had managed to rescue nine men and two children after the incident. |
Sunk |
| January 2 |
Palm Beach Princess Casino |
CBS 12 News reports the ship arrived back at the dock three and a half hours late after being stalled five miles off shore. Passengers finally disembarked at 3:45am. An officer aboard the ship says high winds prevented the gambling boat from making a safe return. Passengers tell CBS 12 they were concerned the delay could have been a result of a malfunctioning engine. A tug boat brought the Palm Beach Princess back to the dock. All passengers received a voucher for a free cruise. |
Delayed arrival |
Click here for events in 2009 |
